Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02823929 2013-08-15
Digital printing device for the dynamic printing of a
statically printed substrate web and reel-fed printing
press
The invention relates to a digital printing device for
the dynamic printing of a statically printed substrate
web and a reel-fed printing press with such a digital
printing device.
Reel-fed printing presses have a plurality of printing
units for the static printing of at least one substrate
web surface at least one substrate web with a print
image that is the same or print copies and thus static.
Each print copy in this case typically comprises a
plurality of printing pages. Such printing units, which
serve for the static printing of the or each substrate
web are typically embodied as offset printing units. It
Is likewise possible that such printing units are
embodied as gravure printing units.
In reel-fed printing presses known from the prior art
it is already usual to provide at least one digital
printing device in addition to the printing units,
which serve for the static printing of the or each
substrate web with a print image that is the same for
all print copies in order to individualise the print
copies through dynamic printing. Such a digital
printing device for the dynamic printing preferentially
is an inkjet printing device, with the help of which at
least one substrate web surface of at least one
substrate web can be printed with a print image that is
variable for at least some print copies, i.e. printed
dynamically.
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A reel-fed printing press with a digital printing
device for the dynamic printing of a statically printed
substrate web in the line for the static printing in
the reel-fed printing press is known for example from
DE 10 2007 028 454 Al and from DE 10 2007 028 452 Al.
It is known furthermore from the prior art that a
digital printing device for the dynamic printing of an
already statically printed substrate web comprises at
least one digital printing head preferentially embodied
as an inkjet printing head, wherein the digital
printing head together with a position sensor is
relocateably mounted on a cross member transversely to
the transport direction of the substrate web. With the
help of the position sensor, the substrate web to be
dynamically printed can be measured in order to
determine the print position for the dynamic printing
of the substrate web with regard to a control.
Although the individualisation of statically printed
substrate webs with dynamic impressions is already
known in principle, the integration of a digital
printing device for the dynamic printing in a reel-fed
printing press poses difficulties, in particular it is
not ensured to date that the dynamic printing of a
statically printed substrate web can be carried out in
line with the static printing in the reel-fed printing
press in a user-friendly manner with little effort.
Starting out from this, the object of the present
invention is to create a new type of digital printing
device for the dynamic printing of a statically printed
substrate web and a reel-fed printing press with such a
digital printing device.
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According to the invention, the digital printing device
can be provided with a signal via an interface from a
signal source of the reel-fed printing press, which at
least comprises a speed signal of the reel-fed printing
press and a cylinder trigger signal of the reel-fed
printing press, wherein a position sensor control
dependent on the cylinder trigger signal and on
measurement values of the or each position sensor
generates a synchronisation signal for the digital
printing device out of the cylinder trigger signal,
making it available to a digital printing head control,
wherein a speed signal transformer dependent on the
speed signal and a predetermined dynamic print
resolution generates a feed signal for the digital
printing device out of the speed signal, making it
available to the digital printing head control, and
wherein the digital printing head control activates the
or each digital printing head as a function of
synchronisation signal and as a function of the feed
signal.
With the invention it is proposed to exclusively
connect the digital printing device via a signal source
of the reel-fed printing press with respect to data
which are time-critical to the dynamic printing. Thus,
the signal source of the reel-fed printing press
provides the digital printing device with a signal,
which on the one hand comprises a speed signal of the
reel-fed printing press and on the other hand a
cylinder trigger signal of the reel-fed printing press.
Dependent on the cylinder trigger signal and on
measurement values of the or each position sensor, the
position sensor control determines the synchronisation
signal for the digital printing device out of the
cylinder trigger signal, making this synchronisation
signal available to the digital printing head control.
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Dependent on the speed signal of the reel-fed printing
press and the predetermined dynamic print resolution
the speed signal transformer determines the feed signal
for the digital printing device for the dynamic
printing out of the speed signal of the reel-fed
printing press, making it available to the digital
printing head control.
Based on the synchronisation signal and the feed
signal, the digital printing head control activates the
or each digital printing head in order to dynamically
print the respective substrate web in addition to the
static printing of the substrate web in the reel-fed
printing press in line and because of this to be able
to also carry out individualisations of print copies.
Furthermore, the maximum print speeds of the dynamic
printing and of the static printing can be limited and
matched to one another through a data comparison with a
predetermined print resolution for the dynamic
printing. The data comparison is carried out at least
between the speed signal of the reel-fed printing press
and the feed signal for the digital printing device.
The system architecture of the digital printing device
according to the invention for the dynamic printing of
a statically printed substrate web in line in the reel-
fed printing press allows in a user-friendly way the
individualisation of statically printed substrates with
a dynamic impression.
Preferentially, the signal source of the reel-fed
printing press, the or each position sensor, the
position sensor control, the speed signal transformer,
the digital printing head control and the or each
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digital printing head for the dynamic printing exchange
time-critical data preferentially as hardware signals.
The or each position sensor, the position sensor
control, the speed signal transformer, the digital
printing head control and an operator interface
additionally exchange non-time-critical data
preferentially as network signals for the dynamic
printing by way of a data network.
The data exchange of the time-critical data for the
dynamic printing by way of hardware signals and the
data exchange of the non-time-critical data for the
dynamic printing as network signals is particularly
preferred and allows a simple integration of the
digital printing device for the dynamic printing in the
reel-fed printing press.
No intervention in existing control systems of the
reel-fed printing press is required in order to
integrate a digital printing device for the dynamic
printing in a reel-fed printing press.
According to an advantageous further development of the
invention, the digital printing device for the dynamic
printing can be provided with the signal, which
comprises the speed signal and the cylinder trigger
signal from the single signal source of the reel-fed
printing press, wherein the single signal source of the
reel-fed printing press is either a central pickup of
the reel-fed printing press or an encoder of the reel-
fed printing press. A central pickup is present in all
reel-fed printing presses known from practice and can
provide the signal, which comprises the speed signal
and the cylinder trigger signal, to the digital
printing device for the dynamic printing without
further hardware effort. Alternatively, the signal can
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be provided by an encoder, which is assigned to a
printing press cylinder.
Preferred further developments of the invention are
obtained from the subclaims and the following
description. An exemplary embodiment of the invention
is explained in more detail by means of the drawing
without being restricted to this. Here it shows
Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a reel-fed
printing press with a digital printing device
for the dynamic printing of a substrate web
statically printed in the reel-fed printing
press; and
Fig. 2 a block diagram of the digital printing
device for the dynamic printing.
Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a reel-fed
printing press 10 with a plurality of printing towers
11, 12 and 13, wherein each of the printing towers 11,
12 and 13 in the shown exemplary embodiment comprises
two printing units 14 positioned on top of one another.
Each printing tower 11, 12 and 13 serves for the static
printing of a substrate web 15, 16 and 17 with a print
image that is the same for all print copies and thus
static. The substrate webs 15, 16 and 17 statically
printed in the printing towers 11, 12 and 13 can be fed
to a folding apparatus 19 via a former 18.
Alternatively, other further processing devices such as
a rewinder or sheeter.
The substrate webs 15, 16 and 17 to be printed are
unreeled from corresponding substrate reels in the
region of reel changers 20. By way of a printing press
control station 21, the static printing process of the
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reel-fed printing press 10 can be controlled or
regulated.
According to Figure 1, a digital printing device for
the dynamic printing of the statically printed
substrate web 15 is integrated in the reel-fed printing
press 10, wherein this digital printing device for the
dynamic printing comprises at least one digital
printing head 22, which together with at least one
position sensor 23 is relocateably mounted on at least
one cross member 24 transversely to the transport
direction of the substrate web 15. In the following,
for the sake of simplicity, it is to be assumed that a
single position sensor 23 together with at least one
digital printing head 22 is relocateably mounted on a
single cross member 24.
The position sensor 23 can for example be a camera,
which for example captures the static print image or
print marks, in order to determine the print position
for the dynamic printing of the substrate web by way of
the or each digital printing head 22 from this. A
digital printing head control 25 serves for the control
or regulation of the dynamic printing of the statically
printed substrate web 15.
Figure 2 shows details of the integration of the
digital printing device for the dynamic printing in the
reel-fed printing press on the control side, wherein
the digital printing device for the dynamic printing of
the statically printed substrate web can be provided
with a signal 28 from a signal source 27 of the reel-
fed printing press 10 via an interface 26, which signal
28 on the one hand comprises a speed signal of the
reel-fed printing press and on the other hand a
cylinder trigger signal of the reel-fed printing press.
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Dependent on the cylinder trigger signal, the position
sensor 23 measures the statically printed and still to
be dynamically printed or already dynamically printed
substrate web 15 and makes available corresponding
measurement values 30 of a position sensor control 29
to the digital printing device, wherein the position
sensor control 29 dependent on the cylinder trigger
signal and dependent on the measurement values of the
position sensor 23 determines or generates a
synchronisation signal 31 for the digital printing
device out of the cylinder trigger signal of the reel-
fed printing press, making this synchronisation signal
31 available to the digital printing head control 25.
The position sensor control 29 furthermore regulates,
dependent on the cylinder trigger signal and on the
measurement values 30 of the position sensor 23, the
impression position for the dynamic printing of the
substrate web 15 and to this end activates the cross
member 24 via a corresponding control signal 32.
The digital printing device for the dynamic printing
according to the invention furthermore comprises a
speed signal transformer 33, which depending on the
speed signal of the reel-fed printing press and
depending on a predetermined dynamic print resolution
of the digital print and preferentially, dependent on
the cylinder circumference of the reel-fed printing
press, generates a feed signal 34 for the digital
printing device out of the speed signal of the reel-fed
printing press, making this feed signal 34 available to
the digital printing head control 25.
The digital printing head control 25 of the digital
printing device generates, depending on the feed signal
34 and the synchronisation signal 31, an activation
signal 35 for the or each digital printing head 22 and,
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accordingly, activates the or each digital printing
head 22 dependent on the synchronisation signal 31 and
dependent on the feed signal 34.
All data or signals 28, 30, 31, 32, 34 and 35 described
above are time-critical for the dynamic printing and
are exchanged between the hardware assemblies 27, 23,
29, 24, 33, 25, 22 involved on the control side
preferentially as hardware signals. The signal source
27 of the reel-fed printing press accordingly makes
available the signal 28 preferentially as a hardware
signal. The signals 30, 32, 31, 34 and 35 are
preferentially exchanged as hardware signals between
the assemblies 23, 29, 24, 33, 25 and 22 involved.
Furthermore, the position sensor 23, the position
sensor control 29, the speed signal transformer 33, the
digital printing head control 25 and an operator
interface 36 of the digital printing device, which is
preferentially an integral part of the printing press
control station 21, are connected to a network 37, via
which the same data can be exchanged preferentially as
network signals, namely such data which are non-time-
critical for the dynamic printing.
Thus it is possible in particular to transmit preset
values for the dynamic printing to the assemblies
involved, preferentially as network signals via the
operator interface 36, for example a desired dynamic
print resolution required in the speed signal
transformer 33 and/or brightness and contrast data
required for the position sensor 23 and/or set values
for the print position of the dynamic printing required
in the position sensor control 29.
These preset values can be input via the operator
interface 36 and made available to the assemblies
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involved preferentially as non-time-critical network
data via the network 37.
As is evident from Figure 2, components of the reel-fed
printing press and of the digital printing device for
the dynamic printing of the substrate web statically
printed in the reel-fed printing press on the one hand
exchange time-critical data as hardware signals and on
the other hand non-time-critical data as network
signals. Such a data communication is particularly
advantageous since because of this a simple integration
of the digital printing device in the reel-fed printing
press is ensured on the one hand and an easy
operability can be ensured on the other hand.
Figure 2 furthermore shows assembly of a printing ink
supply 38 of the or each digital printing head 22,
wherein the printing ink supply 38 on the one hand
exchanges time-critical data 39 preferentially as
hardware signals with the digital printing head control
25 for the dynamic printing and non-time-critical data
preferentially as network signals via the network 37
with other assemblies. The data exchange of the
position sensor 23, the position control 29, the speed
signal transformer 33, the operator interface 36, the
digital printing head control 25 and the printing ink
supply 38 via the network 37 takes place via
schematically represented network interfaces 40 of the
assemblies involved.
The signal source 27 of the reel-fed printing press,
which makes available the signal 28 comprising the
speed signal and the cylinder trigger signal via the
interface 26 in the form of a hardware signal, is a
central pickup of the reel-fed printing press or an
encoder of the reel-fed printing press assigned to a
printing press cylinder. The digital printing device
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merely requires a single such system, which is provided
by a single signal source 27 of the reel-fed printing
press. No intervention in existing regulating systems
of the reel-fed printing press is required.
The position sensor control 29, which defines the
synchronisation signal 31, determines the
synchronisation signal 31 dependent on the cylinder
trigger signal of the reel-fed printing press and
accordingly also dependent on the number of the
cylinder trigger impulses for each cylinder revolution
of the reel-fed printing press 10.
The digital printing device for the dynamic printing of
a statically printed substrate web in line in the reel-
fed printing press allows the individualisation in a
user-friendly manner of statically printed substrate
webs with a dynamic impression. The digital printing
device makes possible by reducing the position
tolerance of the dynamic print image in particular with
respect to process parameters influencing the web
tension, shorter setting-up times and thus lower
spoilage values. The print resolution and the print
position for the dynamic impression are flexibly
adaptable to circumstances of the reel-fed printing
press in a user-friendly manner. Since the operator
interface 26 is preferentially integrated in the
control station 21, parameters of the static printing
and dynamic printing can be centrally monitored on the
control station and varied. A mobile operation via a
mobile operator interface is also possible.
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List of reference numbers
Reel-fed printing press
11 Printing tower
12 Printing tower
13 Printing tower
14 Printing unit
Substrate web
16 Substrate web
17 Substrate web
18 Former
19 Folding apparatus
Reel changer
21 Printing press control station
22 Digital printing head
23 Position sensor
24 Cross member
Digital printing head control
26 Interface
27 Signal source
28 Signal
29 Position sensor control
Measurement values
31 Synchronisation signal
32 Control signal
33 Speed signal transformer
34 Feed signal
Activation signal
36 Operator interface
37 Network
38 Printing ink supply
39 Data
Network interface
